As heavy fighting is renewed along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, UN secretary-general António Guterres called on Cambodia and Thailand to exercise restraint. He also expressed his concerns at the air strikes carried by Thailand, as well as the mobilisation of heavy weapons at the border.
A late-December 8 UN press release noted that the border dispute between the two countries has already resulted in significant civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure and displacement on both sides of the border. Guterres stressed that both parties must protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian relief.
“The secretary-general reiterates his call on the parties to return to the framework of the Joint Declaration signed in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, recommit to the ceasefire and implement de-escalation and confidence-building measures. He calls on both parties to make full use of all mechanisms for dialogue to find a lasting solution to the dispute through peaceful means,” said the release.
It added that the UN stands ready to support all efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability and development in the region.
Several other countries also issued statements, calling for calm and a return to dialogue. They included Japan and France, while an official in the US administration said that US President Donald Trump has called for both countries to respect the peace deal Trump witnessed.
Frank Hartmann, director-general for Asia-Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office, delivered Germany’s perspective.
“I am deeply concerned about the recent violence along the border. Any casualties and damage are deplorable and increase the risk of escalation. I call upon both sides to immediately halt the conflict and work towards peaceful resolution, while prioritising civilian safety,” he said.
